Go(D)fund(S)me

Are you familiar with GoFundMe? It’s a digital platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from celebrations to accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the beginning of 2020, over $9 billion has been raised on the platform with contributions from over 120 million donors. Anyone can make use of GoFundMe.

As you might expect, many requests are downright silly and selfish. For example, there’s a guy who is asking for money so he can buy hats because he is going bald. There’s a kid who is raising money to buy AirPods because his parents won’t buy them for him and he thinks “he deserves them.” (I love one of the responses to his request: “Here, have some Air Dollars.”) And finally, there’s the teenager who is asking for a million dollars…because he needs a liver transplant? No, simply because he wants to become the youngest millionaire.

At least these individuals are honest about what they intend to do with funds received. How would you feel if someone said they needed money for a medical procedure, so you reached deep into your pocket and provided funding only to find out later that the recipient used your money for hats or AirPods? You’d be upset and perhaps would vow to never give away money like that again.

Our sermon text today teaches us that even though we may have never turned to GoFundMe to ask for money, all the money we have along with every talent and all our time is a gift from God. We each can say: Go(d)Fund(s)Me. And for what purpose? He does so to show his love to us and through us. Listen to our text.

Our sermon text takes place about 1000 years before the birth of Christ. King David was coming to the end of his reign and his son Solomon would soon take over. David had accomplished much as the second king of Israel. However, there was one thing God did not allow him to do: build a temple for the Lord. Although David wouldn’t get to build the temple, he did make sure everything would be ready for Solomon to complete the building project. One helpful resource was the 100 tons of gold David was giving from his own treasury.

100 tons of gold! Do you have any idea how much gold that is? For comparison’s sake, consider how a Boeing 757 airplane weighs 100 tons. The Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago, also known as the “Bean”, is 100 tons. A sing-story, 1600 sq ft. house weighs 100 tons. But since gold is really heavy, 100 tons of gold won’t take up as much space as any of the things I just mentioned. Pictured here on the screen is just one ton of gold in the back of a pickup. There’s plenty of room to put many more things into that pickup, but if you were to put any more gold in this truck, you’d break its suspensions. 25 tons of gold would easily fit on a flatbed truck, but that’s all such a truck can legally carry. 100 tons of gold would stack over six-feet high and four-feet wide. It doesn’t look like much but 100 tons of gold today is worth…any ideas? $5.4 trillion! To put that into perspective, the US national debt is currently at $30.9 trillion.

100 tons of gold for the temple was just the beginning of King David’s generosity. He also gave 260 tons of silver, which today is worth $16.6 billion. David also gave marble and precious gems, though we don’t know what kind or how many. In response to David’s generosity, the leaders of Israel added 190 tons of gold, 380 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze, 3,800 tons of iron, and more gems. How much in total was given towards the building of the temple? It’s hard to say, but perhaps around $11 trillion?

More precious than the amount of the gift was the spirit in which it was given. David reports: “…who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 18 LORD, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you.” (1 Chronicles 29:14-18)